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This AMAZING Instant Pot Baked Beans recipe uses dry beans, and there's no soaking required. Tender cooked beans with bacon, onion and bell pepper in a delicious sweet and smokey sauce. I'm confident this easy baked beans recipe will become a staple at your summer BBQ's!
If you could only pick one, what is your favorite side dish at a bbq? It's a hard choice, I know, but I'd probably say baked beans. They pairly perfectly with any type of meat from the grill. My favorite sweet cornbread, and one of these fresh salads make the meal complete.
I've been really excited to share this instant pot baked beans recipe with you all because it's proof that making baked beans from scratch can happen in about an hour! The instant pot is just amazing, and I'm proud to add this recipe to the ranks of my instant pot recipe archives!
How to make baked beans in the Instant Pot:
To make baked beans in the instant pot, start by adding the dry beans and water to the pot. Cook in high pressure for about 25 minutes, with a natural pressure release. When the pressure has released, remove the lid and pour the beans into a strainer to remove the water. Rinse them well with cold water.
DISCLAIMER: This recipe was created using the DUO 60 6-quart instant pot. Not all instant pot recipes work perfectly for all types of instant pots. See this article for more information on adapting recipes for your instant pot.
I've chosen navy beans or pinto beans for this recipe, but you could also use great northern beans, with the same cooking time.
After straining the beans, wipe out the instant pot and add spray it with non-stick cooking spray. I do this because even though bacon is greasy, it can still initially stick to the bottom of the pot when the saute setting is on.
Cook the bacon until it starts to get golden brown and slightly crisp on the edges. Drain some of the grease (I usually just stick a few paper towels in the pot and use them to blot out the grease). You still want a little grease at the bottom so that the other vegetables don't stick when you add them to saute.
Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and saute them, stirring often, until they're tender.
Turn the instant pot off and stir in the bbq sauce, ketchup, mustard, vinegar and liquid smoke. Stir until smooth and then add the cooked beans and brown sugar. Secure the instant pot lid and cook the mixture on high pressure for 15 minutes, with a natural pressure release.
Do I need to soak the dry beans?
Normally when making baked beans from scratch you need to soak the dry beans in water overnight, but with the instant pot pressure cooker you can cook the dry beans and water together, without soaking them first, and you'll end up with tender, perfect beans for making baked beans.
Can I substitute canned beans instead of dry beans?
Yes. If you'd rather use canned beans start with step 4 of the recipe, and when it's time to add the beans, substitute 56 oz canned pork and beans (whatever brand you prefer).
Make it a meal and serve these Baked Beans with:
Instant Pot Ribs or Slow Cooker Ribs
Instant Pot Baked Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dry navy or pinto beans
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 yellow onion, , finely chopped
- 1/2 red or green bell pepper, , cored, seeded, and finely chopped
- 2/3 cup barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- **DISCLAIMER: I created this recipe using a 6 quart instant pot DUO 60. Some users have had problems with a burn notice for this recipe using different versions of the instant pot. I have tested it many times with this version and had no issue.
- Add beans, water and salt to instant pot. Cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Remove lid and pour beans into a colander/strainer. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add bacon and saute for a few minutes until it starts to get golden brown, tossing and scraping down the bottom of the pot often. Drain some of the grease.
- Add bell pepper and onion and cook until tender.
- Turn IP off. Add bbq sauce, ketchup, mustard, vinegar and liquid smoke to the pot and stir well to combine.
- Add brown sugar, water and beans and stir to combine.
- Secure IP lid, close steam valve and cook on Manual (high pressure) for 15 minutes. Natural release the pressure.
- Carefully open lid, and gently stir mixture to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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As it was cooking, the aroma was fantastic and the taste was even better, thank you for the recipe 👏👏👏😋😋
So easy and So So Good!!! I took them to a cookout and they got rave reviews. Making them again tomorrow for another cookout! 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!!
Thanks so much for the great review! I’m thrilled you liked the recipe!
I love this recipe and figured out how NOT to get burn!
Use the half cup of water in second part to deglaze the pan. Then add the rest. No ” burned bits” no burn notice!
Water worked for me, too. I am keto so I used black soy beans Sukrin Gold brown sugar substitute and homemade keto bbq sauce and ketchup. Came out delicious!
Awesome they were fantastic.
This recipe is really, really good! I didn’t have spicy mustard and used regular yellow and it was just fine… I really am pleasantly surprised at how firm the beans stayed. I used the dry navy beans and I am definitely printing this recipe out to use again 🙂 thank you
Great taste, no vinegar taste, but had to finish in oven as got burn message on two attempts just after starting last phase. Used exact ingredients, except second time i took the sautéed ingredients out to wash out the pan as one cause of “burn” is something stuck to bottom. No difference and not convenient. I have the Max. It takes way longer to naturally vent than advertised as well. But delicious. I will make this again but next time last phase in crock in oven. Thank you!
Pucker up–very big vinegar taste. It is also too sweet. Made it exactly according to recipe. If I were to make it again, I would use less sugar (and not use sweet bbq sauce), use just a drop of vinegar and add extra liquid smoke. I think some pork or salt pork would add to the flavor.
This is really good. I cut the sugar in 1/2 (I’m from KC) and I suggest less if using a sweet BBQ sauce. I know people in BBQ business, and I suggest you add a rib of celery and or celery seeds. Worcestershire sauce and a dab of hot sauce make it a really complete and awesome recipe. I also love to add some ham lunch meat and chicken bullion to the beans in the first cook. Love it.
Literally my 1st time with the Instant Pot (and only 2nd usage in the house) and I had a go at this recipe. I’d have to call it pretty foolproof. I did get the “food burn” warning on the 1st minute of the final cook cycle, but it went away when the clock hit 14 minutes remaining. Maybe it needs just a tiny bit more water to avoid that (so the IP support page told me).
As for the results, my wife says it’s a keeper! Really good.
Too sweet
Tried this recipe. Delicious but it takes more like 2 1/2 hours when you add in the time to pressurize and natural release.
Yep, 2.5 hrs was what I clocked too from dry beans to finished product. Still that’s quite speedy!
I use my instant pot all the time and rarely get burn message and 0/2 with this recipe. I transferred to the stove both times and delicious – just annoying! I have the 6qt DUO as well so who knows.